Is Verizon on a mission to f--- us over?

[iheartphones]

Long time lurker.

<rant>

I've read countless threads over time about how Big Red is screwing agents. Working for corporate I feel as if they are deliberately attempting to sabotage the direct retail channel as well. Over the last 8 years of my career with the company, I have watched the business evolve from a family to a machine with most of the "progress" taking place over the last 2 years. Of course tightening of the belt is necessary in this economy, but some of the thirsty tactics taking place recently have been down right horse ****. It makes me wonder if Verizon is looking to shed the majority of its human frontline workforce in favor of online self serve options along with a few slave labor indirect premium retailers. Each year commission structure has gone to favor the company. Scorecards with huge flaws have been implemented to eliminate employees have surfaced. Ridiculous online pricing along with being forced to show customers how to use My Verizon has made doing business a slap in the face. Leadership is comprised of jokers and cheaters from top to bottom. Reps are told to operate with utmost integrity, yet those who lie, steal and walk casually on the edge are rewarded and praised until overwhelming evidence is presented to their managers. Pretty soon the professional sales representatives will be replaced by those of the likes of after school part timers similar to those that sell phones at Target. Anyhow, I won't be around much longer. I don't care, because nobody cares anyway. I just look forward to the day of freedom.

</rant>

[AT&T Snatcher]

I definitely get the impression that the direct channel is slowly being shoved to the end of the line, even behind the agent channel. It must be terribly expensive to construct and staff those retail stores, plus the huge employee overhead in terms of benefits and training. I can understand why they want to scuttle all but a few flagship stores in each region, sort of like how Apple just has a smattering of retail outlets. I actually think the indirect channel makes a lot of sense, but I do wonder when/if the pace of margin "compression" will slow down?

On a personal level, I can't think of being in a VZW retail store and seeing any employee looking like they were actually having a good time. Maybe I just go on bad days or the real fun is in the back room. There seems to be a caffeine driven level of energy that can barely disguise the discontent and anxiety just below the surface.

[reddragonprodz]

I definitely get the impression that the direct channel is slowly being shoved to the end of the line, even behind the agent channel. It must be terribly expensive to construct and staff those retail stores, plus the huge employee overhead in terms of benefits and training. I can understand why they want to scuttle all but a few flagship stores in each region, sort of like how Apple just has a smattering of retail outlets. I actually think the indirect channel makes a lot of sense, but I do wonder when/if the pace of margin "compression" will slow down?

On a personal level, I can't think of being in a VZW retail store and seeing any employee looking like they were actually having a good time. Maybe I just go on bad days or the real fun is in the back room. There seems to be a caffeine driven level of energy that can barely disguise the discontent and anxiety just below the surface.

Too add to this you should watch their "HIRING" video on their website under careers freaking HILARIOUS 3 employees trying to say how great it is to work for the company, but you can see it in the eyes they are like "WTF why they pick me to talk on front of this stupid camera"

[johnhere]

I'm not a vz employee but the store near me seems to have less workers there and the ones who are there don't seem near as happy as they used to appear. Three years ago the store seemed like it had a family vibe. Now it seems more political with more policies in place.

[ItsAceDeniro]

I definitely get the impression that the direct channel is slowly being shoved to the end of the line, even behind the agent channel. It must be terribly expensive to construct and staff those retail stores, plus the huge employee overhead in terms of benefits and training. I can understand why they want to scuttle all but a few flagship stores in each region, sort of like how Apple just has a smattering of retail outlets. I actually think the indirect channel makes a lot of sense, but I do wonder when/if the pace of margin "compression" will slow down?

On a personal level, I can't think of being in a VZW retail store and seeing any employee looking like they were actually having a good time. Maybe I just go on bad days or the real fun is in the back room. There seems to be a caffeine driven level of energy that can barely disguise the discontent and anxiety just below the surface.

Jesus Dude. That line literally made my jaw drop. You hit the nail perfectly on the head. Exactly how I felt when I worked there.

[iheartphones]

The discontent is there. There are always a few people that are happy, usually it's because their ******** won't fly or make them the same amount of money elsewhere. I know many reps that perform well that are on their way out as the compensation is not worth the herrassment and over extended quotas. People quitting wont ruin the company, but its a sign of where the ship is heading. Reps are consistently pushed beyond realistic terms all while the game is set to favor the business. Recently we found out that we will now have to charge a fee for upgrades. Yes competitors do that now, but the company has trained customers to believe every rep should bow and serve all while serving everything at the lowest price.

[reddragonprodz]

The discontent is there. There are always a few people that are happy, usually it's because their ******** won't fly or make them the same amount of money elsewhere. I know many reps that perform well that are on their way out as the compensation is not worth the herrassment and over extended quotas. People quitting wont ruin the company, but its a sign of where the ship is heading. Reps are consistently pushed beyond realistic terms all while the game is set to favor the business. Recently we found out that we will now have to charge a fee for upgrades. Yes competitors do that now, but the company has trained customers to believe every rep should bow and serve all while serving everything at the lowest price.

This is why VZW has a check mark for a logo.. It's a hidden symbol showing the companies big **** going on everyones butt. Consumers up to the front line... Even the government has a piece of it.

[nerdydesi]

The Verizon fat cats in their fancy suits are doing nothing but profiting recently over the expense of their front-line employees and customers. Eventually, they will push them too far and something will have to give. These 1%ers are really getting quite arrogant and exceptionally greedy as of late.

[starfish00]

Simple answer: yes.

[johnhere]

Vz wants to screw everyone as of lately it seems.

[Ilwisucks]

I wonder if it's a we don't need you no longer thought process.
this is what they did to the independent agent channel and now it's a few master agents and very few small guys who helped make the carriers who they are today.

Now sounds like its the direct channels turn

Look at the iPhone launch, Verizon biggest one day handset sale in its history all done online

90+ million customers at $56+ of ARPU Verizon justs needs decent new customer growth to offset churn. The goal now is save the base and convert them to 4G devices and new 2yr contracts

And they don't need guys in stores making $40,000+ a year to do that. It's the same as what Best Buy is going through
A computer is and the Internet is changing retail sales

[VZWINDIRECTGUY]

I wonder if it's a we don't need you no longer thought process.
this is what they did to the independent agent channel and now it's a few master agents and very few small guys who helped make the carriers who they are today.

Now sounds like its the direct channels turn

Look at the iPhone launch, Verizon biggest one day handset sale in its history all done online

90+ million customers at $56+ of ARPU Verizon justs needs decent new customer growth to offset churn. The goal now is save the base and convert them to 4G devices and new 2yr contracts

And they don't need guys in stores making $40,000+ a year to do that. It's the same as what Best Buy is going through
A computer is and the Internet is changing retail sales

Have a friend working with Verizon on back end systems and he is getting promoted left and right, they are hiring left and right, building offices to house these new employees left and right. All to support online sales in one way or another.

At the same time they are closing call centers and killing commissions for retail store employees. It is clear where all of this is going. After the upgrade fee begins they are going to run online only promotions with waived upgrade fees. All of these efforts are to feed more and more business to their website and train customers to shop directly at the site and go to the store for "show me" or "how do I" help.

[terhett]

Long time lurker.

<rant>

I've read countless threads over time about how Big Red is screwing agents. Working for corporate I feel as if they are deliberately attempting to sabotage the direct retail channel as well. Over the last 8 years of my career with the company, I have watched the business evolve from a family to a machine with most of the "progress" taking place over the last 2 years. Of course tightening of the belt is necessary in this economy, but some of the thirsty tactics taking place recently have been down right horse ****. It makes me wonder if Verizon is looking to shed the majority of its human frontline workforce in favor of online self serve options along with a few slave labor indirect premium retailers. Each year commission structure has gone to favor the company. Scorecards with huge flaws have been implemented to eliminate employees have surfaced. Ridiculous online pricing along with being forced to show customers how to use My Verizon has made doing business a slap in the face. Leadership is comprised of jokers and cheaters from top to bottom. Reps are told to operate with utmost integrity, yet those who lie, steal and walk casually on the edge are rewarded and praised until overwhelming evidence is presented to their managers. Pretty soon the professional sales representatives will be replaced by those of the likes of after school part timers similar to those that sell phones at Target. Anyhow, I won't be around much longer. I don't care, because nobody cares anyway. I just look forward to the day of freedom.

</rant>

This is why I'm on my way out of wireless. I just interviewed for a promotion a couple of weeks ago. In my interview we talked about how someone committing commission fraud should be terminated with no warnings. The guy I went up against committed commission fraud and gained the promotion over me.

This guy that got the promotion was killing a sales metric by including accessories in the normal sales price of every phone. I pointed it out to my boss and was told "Whatever he's doing, it's working" and he wouldn't discuss anything else about it with me. I still didn't do it but I can't believe how much this happens over the years.

[Vatothe0]

This is why I'm on my way out of wireless. I just interviewed for a promotion a couple of weeks ago. In my interview we talked about how someone committing commission fraud should be terminated with no warnings. The guy I went up against committed commission fraud and gained the promotion over me.

This guy that got the promotion was killing a sales metric by including accessories in the normal sales price of every phone. I pointed it out to my boss and was told "Whatever he's doing, it's working" and he wouldn't discuss anything else about it with me. I still didn't do it but I can't believe how much this happens over the years.

Get it in writing! Any interaction like that should be documented in an email. Even a face to face conversation that ends that way should have an email recap where both parties can have a mutual understanding. This also serves as proof later.

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[ItnStln]

Vz wants to screw everyone as of lately it seems.

Very true!

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